The Explorer and The Exile
by Nephalos
Summary: Ezreal sets out westward to the Ironspike Mountains on an expedition, where he happens upon a certain Exile on the run. My first attempt at publishing something here! Let me know what you think. Contains very steamy scenes! Ezreal x Riven, told in first person from Ezreal's perspective. Ezreal, Riven, Orianna, Heimerdinger, and their associated factions are property of Riot Games.
1. Chapter 1: A Cold Trip Home

Hello, everyone! This is my first attempt at publishing here, so let me know what you all think! If you're here for a specific purpose... Chapter 5 is what you're looking for. :P But, I'd recommend all the previous chapters as well, because they lead up to that point, and assist with the development toward that scene. This is first person from Ezreal's point of view, because I wanted to try something new. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy!

Edit: The image I used as a cover for this story doesn't belong to me. If you'd like to see it removed/ accredited to someone, I would be more than happy to oblige.

Chapter 1 - A Cold Trip Home

It was the rain. I had gotten past the bitter cold - at this point the predictable impact of the droplets on my shoulders felt good, massaging my worn muscles after crawling through that cave. There wasn't a doubt that I'd develop a cold from this, but it had been worth it - no one had been where I had for centuries, and I held the proof of that in my pack.

The star rods' blue light was faint on the edge of Piltover's suburbs, and the cloud cover and rain made the night that much darker. I kept a determined pace toward Heimerdinger's research archive. I smirked at the title. The place should have been called 'Ezreal's home away from home'. Not that I was exactly welcome in my own home...

It had been a while since I had talked to my parents. They had called me a 'child with great potential' when I had been admitted to the Techmaturgical Institute of Piltover with the highest marks at a young age. Their admiration had grown to embarrassment and then disapproval when I decided that my time was better spent exploring the place that the Institute originally found the musty tomes they based their research on in, rather than reading textbooks based on said tomes.

I suppose they'd be more open to talking to me now, though. A sick coincidence it might be, near the day I would have graduated from the Institute, the government of Piltover offered me a job, admiring my cartography and exploratory knowledge.

"Heh..." I said to myself, wondering what the look on their faces was like when they heard that. It must have been six months ago.

Brushing my dripping hair from my eyes, I knocked on the door of the archive, not expecting an answer. I backed off, looking for the hidden key.

The door opened suddenly, Heimerdinger's voice condescending; "Ezreal! I'm not sure what to do with you, boy! You were supposed to be back two days ago. I hope for your sake you at least found something worthwhile."

"...Nice to see you too, Heimer." I said, stepping inside, putting my pack down lightly on a table. Since the archive wasn't used that often, the only source of lighting were a few star-rods that Heimer had erected in the corners of the room. The concrete floor was covered by a few mismatched rugs.

I turned to the Yordle, saying, "I did find something, though. What are you doing up so late, anyway?"

Heimerdinger looked down, caught off guard by my question. "I was uh... working on something for Orianna."

I laughed at him, and then said, "Her birthday is coming up, isn't it? Hmm... Anyway, I really need to clean myself up." I said, removing my gloves, taking special care of the one I had affixed my amulet to.

"I'm not sure exactly what the origins are, but It's some sort of box from a tomb. There's a book inside - all of it's in good condition." I added, removing the items carefully from my pack, handing them to Heimerdinger.

The yordle looked them over admirably, saying, "I'll start on the restoration process tomorrow - but it looks like this one will be easy. Alright, Ezreal, I'll put this away and be off. Don't forget to lock the place if you're out and about tomorrow."

I nodded to him, saying, "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Heimerdinger whistled to himself, walking into the next room and putting my findings in a container before leaving through the secondary exit, locking that one. I yawned, stretching, nearly collapsing right there. I fought the urge and instead walked into the washroom, stripping myself and stepping into the shower, letting the warm water wash over my body. My ribcage and shoulders were especially tender, from climbing and a rather bad tumble, respectively.

I looked at the water running down the drain as I cleaned myself, hoping one of those 'Summoners' from the League of Legends wouldn't see fit to call on me anytime soon. It wasn't likely - there had been some conflicts between Noxus and Ionia, but he wasn't well known to either of those cultures.

I actually enjoyed being summoned on occasion. It was a good escape, and decent exercise, but sometimes it happened at the most inconvenient of times, since I was not summoned like other champions.

After I finished cleaning myself, I dried off and put on some nightclothes, stumbling over to the couch I used as a bed every night, and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: A New Destination

Chapter 2 - A New Destination

The sunlight. It woke me. Damn, I forgot to pull the shades over that window last night. I groaned, sitting up and glancing at the clock on the wall. One in the afternoon. I suppose I could wake up now.

I dressed slowly, eating a breakfast of eggs and bacon before walking into the map room. I smiled. One of my favorite things to do, perhaps even more than exploring itself, was plan the next venture, finding a place on the map where something looked interesting - or perhaps where there was nothing at all. I traced the line of the Ironspike mountains south of Piltover, down toward Noxus, out toward the howling marsh. I was always traveling far from home. The mountains themselves probably held something of value... perhaps somewhere closer this time?

I held put my hand against my face, considering where exactly I'd go. I'd heard that in the southwestern part of the Ironspike Mountains, there was an altar devoted to an ancient Noxian God of War. I huffed. Ancient people and their Gods.

I caught myself and laughed mildly. Modern people and their Gods. I stood up, leaving the map there, packing some clothes and equipment for the excursion.

The mirror distracted me. My image stared back at me, wearing the green jacket I had chosen today. I needed to shave - something I didn't often have to do, but it had been weeks. Frowning, I walked into the washroom and cleaned my face, careful not to cut myself with the razor.

Just when I was drying my face off, the back door opened.

"Heimer?" I asked, folding the towel.

"Negative." Said a female robotic voice. Orianna. I furrowed my brow. She was easy enough to talk to, but impossible to read.

I walked up to her and said, "Hello, Orianna." I said, watching her. The Ball floated behind her - I was under the impression it was somehow watching me.

"Hello Ezreal. Heimerdinger sent me to check on you. He told me that he is occupied at the Techmaturgical Institute today. How are you?" She asked. The look on her face, I would guess was supposed to be concern, but it seemed more like indifference.

"I'm doing well. I'm going to go exploring, in the Ironspike mountains." I told her, looking into her eyes. I looked away, going to fold up the map and put it in my pack. Her alien gaze was a little too much.

"Very well. Be safe, Ezreal. I will tell Heimerdinger of your intentions." She told me, her voice echoing slightly around the archive room.

"Thanks." I said, nodding politely at her.

"You're welcome, Ezreal." She responded. I continued putting clothes into my pack, but I stopped when I realized that she wasn't moving, glancing up at her.

"Ezreal, my father told me I should attempt to be open about my... emotions." She said, her voice sounding somewhat more friendly. Was that nervousness I detected?

She continued, "I wish to tell you that I've admired you since we met, and I hope everything goes well on your travels. You actually attempt to communicate with me, the other champions I know practically ignore me."

I felt my stomach in my throat. This was terribly awkward. I couldn't tell what she meant, exactly. Did she... like me? In what way? Was that even possible? I could feel myself blushing.

"...Thanks, Ori." I said, looking up at her, but unable to hold her steel gaze for long. I looked at the ground, bringing my hand up, running it through my hair. I heard her approach, and I looked up again.

"May I embrace you, Ezreal?" She asked. I froze for a second, but then decided that I might as well.

"Sure." I responded, moving to hug her. She embraced me back. I expected a near vice grip, but she seemed to be aware that I was a human, and her hug wasn't as crushing as it could have been. It was just literally cold.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose when I felt Orianna's cold lips on my cheek. Her eyes were closed, I noticed, not unlike a human girl. If I wasn't blushing before, I was most certainly now. I separated from her slowly, not wanting to alarm her.

"Please be careful, Ezreal." She said. I was unsure what to say or do for a while - I could still feel her lips on my cheek.

I smiled nervously, saying, "I'll try. Thank you for your kindness. I'll be back in a week or so."

Orianna nodded and said, "Farewell, Prodigal Explorer." She turned with inhuman grace and walked out of the back door.

I shivered, conflicted. Did she even really feel anything, or was she attempting to act on her father's suggestions?

I can't let my mind get dragged down that path. Shaking my head and picking up my pack, I walked out of the door, locking it and walking on without a second thought.

On my way out of town, a few people waved to me, some calling my name. They must have recognized me from watching those matches I participated in from the Institute of War. I waved back, wondering what they thought of me, if they knew that I really didn't serve a higher purpose when I fought in the League of Legends.

The road on the way out of Piltover was smooth enough. I stopped by the exit of Piltover, wondering if I could find anyone heading south toward Noxus, or the Mogron Pass. I could leave after hitchhiking with them for a couple hours and just head west, to the supposed site of the altar.

"Where you headed, boy?" A carriage driver said to me gruffly. I took him as a no - nonsense kind of individual, so I responded to the point.

"South. I'd only need to go with you until we reach the Ironspikes." I summed up, showing him a few coins.

The driver took a look at the currency and nodded, saying, "There's spare room in the back. Just don't touch anything." He pulled on the reins for the lead horse, causing the others to lower their heads as well. He was hauling what was basically a miniature storage room on wheels.

"Thanks. Here. I'll give you the other half when we're there." I told him, handing him a few coins. He nodded.

Opening the door, I wasn't surprised to see the place piled to the ceiling with boxes. I walked the few steps I could manage to the corner of the room, placing my pack down and sitting next to it.

"Boy, you awake back there?" A gruff voice said. I opened my eyes, realizing I was clutching my pack. I looked up at the cab driver.

"Yeah. Thanks. We here?" I asked him, picking up my pack, standing up as much as I could in the back of this wagon. Walking out of the door, I stretched my back. The dust stirred as I jumped out of the wagon.

"Aye. Just at the Ironspike Mountains." He said, stroking his beard a bit.

"That we are. Here's the rest." I said, reaching into my pocket and handing him a few more coins. He looked at them briefly and nodded, pocketing them. I started walking west, the fields quiet as I traversed them at a modest pace. Stopping not far from where I had been dropped off, I made sure to paint my face, under the eyes, to help with the sun.

I glanced at maps of the area, hoping I had made the correct notes earlier as to the location of this Altar. Considering I was north east of their location, I'd likely have to travel over some mountain passes. Goat trails, that kind of thing. Or walk through a few caves. Nothing I couldn't handle.

It was midday when the elevation started to rise. Luckily, it wasn't that hot outside ... at the same time, it might grow cold when I arrived near the destination.

From previous experience, I knew that the large mountain spiders and wolves near Noxus would sometimes attack travelers, so I readied my mystic bow from the amulet I stored in my glove just in case I had to use it. Usually I just had to fire a mystic shot or an essence flux and they would disperse.

When it grew dark, I donned my goggles. The night vision let me find a good place to set up camp; a clearing to the side of a goat trail. A few skinny pine trees circled the area. Cautiously, I cleared the ground for my tent, setting up afterward.

I was glad I had slept earlier on the ride there, so I'd be more likely to wake if anything approached the tent, taking note of the shape of the clearing. I used mystic shots to break up some of the trees around me, gathering them into a pile, lighting a fire later using my glove. I remember when I taught myself to do this long ago, when I was very young, in the tunnels under Piltover. A smile lit my face as I heated up my rations, eating them when they were ready.

Cleaning up the food and making sure the fire was cold, I went to sleep.

Waking up with the dawn, I set out early. I stopped along the way, finding some ancient carvings and tracing them in my travel journal. They depicted some hulking, armored figure walking on this very path. He looked sad, always being portrayed looking downward, his face unreadable. The carvings were fairly detailed and expansive, despite being so old. From what I knew of ancient Noxian lore, this very figure could be an image of that war God himself.

I picked up the pace, knowing I was getting closer. I froze, seeing smoke rising in the distance. Other travelers? Not likely. I readied my glove.

It took me the rest of the morning and into the afternoon to arrive at the former campsite. The smoke was gone, but I could see the ashy remnants of the campfire on a granite shelf of the mountain. It extended a good ten or twelve feet before dropping off sharply, clearly caused by some quake years ago. I paused, examining the place from my trail, higher up on the mountain. There wasn't a tent there. Whomever had made camp had likely moved on.

"...think she's gone." said a gruff voice from below. I knelt, obscuring myself behind some brush. Looking over it, I saw two men in Noxian military garb looking over the campsite, searching for clues.

Behind them, a figure approached. I saw her platinum hair glinting slightly in the afternoon sun, her fragmented sword held tensely in her hand. She wore strange clothes, tight and black, displaying her feminine curves very well. A tight breastplate and shoulder guard completed the ensemble, along with her gauntlets, all in a black and red coloration. This girl looked familiar. Perhaps a champion in the League? But why was she here?

With practiced grace, I saw her lift her sword to her side, swinging it in a circular motion, jumping toward the soldier ahead of her. She cried out only as she was about to strike him, knocking both of them back with a devastating rain of blows. I watched closely. She knew what she was doing. Her outfit was very close to the soldier's in color and design, which is why it was so puzzling. I struggled to remember her name, wishing I paid attention more to League matches.

The way she nearly danced around the soldiers was beautiful to watch... the only thing that brought me back to reality was the very stark contrast between her grace and their blood spilling onto the granite. She knelt at their sides, closing their eyes respectfully and folding their arms over their swords on their chests. She was whispering something now, but I was too far away to hear. A rite for the dead?

I looked down briefly to retrieve my pack - I had set it down earlier when I saw the soldiers. I looked up.

She was gone. I looked around me and stood up. The shelf was a wide, open spot along the trail, she really didn't have many places to go...

I heard footsteps behind me, and then... everything was black.


	3. Chapter 3: The Exile

Chapter 3 - The Exile

I coughed; the first thing I was aware of was the terrible taste in my mouth. I must have inhaled some dust earlier. There was a throbbing pain the back of my head, and when I opened my eyes, I still saw nothing. I panicked briefly, spitting now to get the dirt out of my mouth.

I realized I was blindfolded after shifting around a bit. Blindfolded and tied up. By who? That girl? The cloth was thick enough to obscure my vision, but I could tell that there was at least some source of light nearby.

"You're awake." said a female voice. I turned my head toward the source of the sound.

"Why tie me up? I didn't mean you any harm or anything." I responded harshly.

She ignored me, it seemed, saying, "I found you watching me, conveniently appearing just after the Noxian guards sent to kill me, or drag me back to Noxus. The only reason I didn't kill you on the spot is because you looked a little familiar to me. Have I seen you before? Care to explain yourself?" Her voice hung in the air briefly. It had a beautiful sound, and I would have appreciated it more if conditions weren't what they were.

"I'm Ezreal. Aren't you a champion in the League of Legends? I am too, just not in the same way you are." I said to her, sighing, hoping she remembered more than I could. So far, it wasn't looking good for me.

I heard her gasp slightly. "...That's where I've seen you before... I'm sorry, Ezreal. I'm Riven." She said, undoing my blindfold and the ropes at my wrists and ankles.

"Riven. I couldn't quite remember your name, either." I told her, massaging my wrists. "Would you mind handing me my pack?" I added. She handed it to me without a word. Standing slowly, the sandstone beneath me revealed we were inside a small cave. I retrieved my water canteen and washed my mouth out, stepping outside of the cave and spitting on the ground. I rubbed my eyes, seeing that the sun was setting.

I looked back at her, examining her up close for the first time. She looked like she'd been through quite a bit recently. A determined resolve was clearly evident in her eyes, but I could tell that she wasn't so iron willed. Her make up, crimson and black, dripped down from her eyes, a clear sign she had been crying. It was nearly symmetrical though, and actually rather attractive in a strange way. It was apparent that she'd made an effort to keep her uniform clean, the black leather clinging to her athletic form, shining a bit in the evening light. She was blushing, too, probably because she regretted tying me up. She ran her right hand, covered in a large gauntlet, through her hair, clearly a bit nervous.

"...I feel bad for hurting you, Ezreal. I wish I paid more attention to the other champions. I'm new to the League, and I haven't had many matches with you." She said.

"It's alright, Riven. Just don't make a habit of it. Can I ask why you're out here anyway? Then I suppose I can tell you why I'm here." I said, sitting down on the floor of her tent.

She looked up at me, saying, "Well... after a League match, the Noxian military sent me a letter, informing me that my enrollment in the League didn't grant me leave from my military duties. I thought that they would merely count me as dead and move on, but I suppose they heard as soon as I enrolled in the League, and looked for me since. I left Noxian society for good. I don't want to return! I couldn't wait for the bureaucracy at the Institute to grant me amnesty - I knew if they had sent me that letter, it was a miracle I was still alive. I had to leave then. So I ran away, thinking I'd be safe in these mountains. But apparently not. I didn't have time to change outfits, even, which is why you see me wearing this... I managed to bring a bedroll and a few changes of clothes, though."

"How long have you been out here?" I asked. I didn't know much of Riven's history, but I could tell she was being sincere.

"...Two days. I had to make a fire to eat, but before that I hadn't eaten in days." She said.

"...You must be hungry, then. I wouldn't mind sharing with you later tonight." I said, then adding, "I'm just out here to explore and map out the area. It's just what I do. I'm looking for some altar to an ancient Noxian war God." I said. Riven's eyes lit up when I mentioned that.

"What?! You mean Ganthast?" She asked, moving a little closer to me.

"Is Ganthast the name of the God? I couldn't find his name anywhere in my research. Maybe you tying me up was a good thing after all..." I said, laughing a bit.

She responded with a nervous laugh of her own, looking downward. It was a little strange to see the way Riven acted. She had been so assertive and deadly when she had killed those guards, but now she seemed more shy and understanding. Perhaps it was merely because she made a mistake earlier.

"Yes, Ganthast. He's an old God. Not many Noxians still worship him. I heard he had an altar up here, and I've always wanted to see it, even though I don't worship any Gods." She said, her tone introspective as she looked at the runes on her broken sword. It amazed me, the appearance of that weapon. When it had been whole, the sword must have been absolutely massive.

"So you haven't been there before? Perhaps you could help me find it?" I asked her, using a bit of water to wash off the face paint under my eyes.

"Sure! I was kind of hoping to find it anyway. Maybe I could help you interpret any carvings we find. I've seen a few of them around here already." She told me, smiling for the first time since we met.

"Sounds like a plan. I don't think we're far from the altar. My map of the area says that it could be across the next ridge..." I said, forgetting exactly what the map depicted. I retrieved it from my pack and gestured. "Here we go. There's a river and a small waterfall over the next ridge. Across that, there's a trail upward. My guess, from my research, would be that it's up that trail a bit."

Riven's brow furrowed. "That could be... but a more likely place might be further down this trail, below the waterfall. It'd be a better position tactically." She explained, gesturing at the map with a finger. She removed her gloves, putting them on the floor next to her bedroll.

"We'll check both places, then." I said, nodding a bit, making a note in my travel journal.

"Ezreal, could we stop at the waterfall? It would be nice to wash myself..." She said, looking down, clearly embarrassed.

"Oh! Uh... Sure. It's quite a distance, we can stop next to it tomorrow night when we make camp." I responded, blushing as well. "I'm kind of hungry right now, though. Help me with a fire?" I asked.

Riven nodded, saying, "Sure. I'll make a fire pit." She stepped out of the tent without another word. I paused for a second. Riven was uncommonly gorgeous - not exactly what one might expect from a person who used to serve in the Noxian military. So attractive, it made me a bit nervous around her. I shook it off, knowing I had more important things to do. I stepped outside, seeing Riven hunched over, gathering stones into a circle. I walked back up the trail a ways, knowing there were some dead shrubs up that way.

We ate without saying much. She thanked me for the food, probably not eating as much as she could have out of politeness. It was a little cold, so we huddled around the fire. Knowing she didn't have a tent, I spoke up.

"It's kind of cold out here, Riven. You can sleep in my tent if you want to." I said. Immediately, I wondered if it was a good idea to make the offer. I could feel myself blushing.

Riven looked a little surprised, saying, "Oh. I... I'll be fine, Ezreal. I wouldn't want to impose." She blushed in return. "I could try to sleep in the cave... " She said, looking over at it. It was rather far from the fire and my tent.

Watching her eyes, I said, "Really, I wouldn't mind. There's more than enough room."

She looked down and said, "...Alright. Thanks so much, Ezreal. I beat you up, and now you're being so nice to me." Her gaze was averted, her tone somber and humble.

I smiled, laughing a bit to lighten her mood. "You've been a big help so far, and you know the subject I'm looking into. And you're good company. Well, except when you hit me in the head." I joke.

She laughed slightly in response, and we finish up our food.

The Exile commented, "This was a lot better than the Noxian rations I had to eat for so long. Thanks. I'll go get my bedroll and clothes and bring them to the tent."

I nodded to her, "Sounds good."

I cleaned up our plates, washing them off and putting them away, pouring the dirty water onto the fire. While I watched the water mix with the embers, swirling in black and red, I considered if I was making the right decision. Obviously, Riven being a champion meant we knew we had something pretty significant in common. But was letting Riven into my life, even as shallow as our relationship was so far, a good idea? And was it truly shallow? I could admit infatuation, but was there more? I shifted the ash over with my boot, covering the water. I'll just complete this expedition, and see what Riven does. It wasn't like I could leave her - and I certainly didn't want to.

Picking up my pack, I brought it back to the tent, unrolling my bedroll. I removed my gloves, making sure to be careful of where I put my amulet glove, keeping it on the top of my other things inside of my pack. Riven was outside the tent.

"Hey Ezreal. Can I come in?" She asked. I could see her silhouette - she appeared to be wearing her helmet and carrying her bedroll, clothes and sword.

"Please do." I said to her. She stepped inside, moving over to the left side of the tent, opposite me. The tent was fairly small, but there would still be some space between our bedrolls. She unrolled hers, kneeling on it while she removed her armor.

Since my pack was open, she gestured to my amulet bearing glove while she removed her own gloves and helmet, putting them at the foot of her bedroll.

"I've always wondered what that thing is." She said.

"Oh. I found it on one of my first expeditions. I'm not sure who it was made for. It was originally an amulet, on a necklace. I put it in the glove to more easily control my magic. For some reason, though, it also causes me to be summoned on the Fields of Justice occasionally... I've actually considered just formally signing up for the League, because of it - I rather enjoy the exercise and exhilaration of the matches." I explained, looking a bit at the glove. I removed my coat and boots, putting them at the foot of the bed.

"That sounds kind of like my sword. It was made for me when I was young, and even when broken it speaks to me in combat..." She said. I noticed her stealing glances at me while I was undressing, and I smiled just barely. Two could play at this game.

She removed her boots as well, as well as the tight leather suit that covered her, blushing all the while. It seemed she was used to a kind of lack of privacy from her military days. I glanced at her just long enough for her to notice, and then looked away. She wore a tight fitting white shirt under her suit, as well as a pair of shorts that hugged her form.

I crawled into my bedroll, but only after removing my own pants and putting them with the rest of my clothes. I decided to break the exchange of borderline flirtatious glances with dialogue.

"What about your armor? You were wearing it during a match on the Fields?" I asked, pointing to her helmet at the foot of her bed.

Riven smiled a bit, saying, "I rather like that outfit. Sometimes, the summoners have me wear different things onto the Fields. Some of them I enjoy. Some, not so much. The helmet is a bit annoying after a while, but I think the whole ensemble looks intimidating."

I nodded. "Oh. I didn't know the summoners could do that. I wonder what they would make me wear if I formally joined the League..." I commented, wondering. I lay down in my bedroll, stretching out a bit with a yawn.

Riven settled into her own bedroll as well. We both smelled of sweat, and campfire, but somehow, I was able to discern Riven's unique scent under the layers, and I rather enjoyed it.

"Goodnight, Riven." I said, looking over at her.

"Goodnight, Ezreal." She said, glancing back. She paused, and added, "And thank you."

"You're welcome." I responded, letting myself fall into sleep. It was difficult. I glanced over at Riven's bed occasionally, watching her lie there, tranquil in her rest. In the darkness, I couldn't tell if she was truly asleep, or looking back at me.


	4. Chapter 4: Two Paths Converge

Chapter 4 - Two Paths Converge

I awoke to the pressure of a hand on my arm.

"Ezreal?" I heard Riven's voice say. Opening my eyes, I saw her standing over me. She was beautiful, even just after waking up, with her hair undone. I blushed, realizing I was very aroused for some reason, hoping Riven wouldn't notice.

"H-hey, Riven." I stuttered.

"The sun's up. Just wanted to make sure we start moving in time." She said. The Exile was dressed in a new outfit; if it weren't for her noticeable curves, I would've been tempted to call her outfit somewhat masculine. As it was, it suited her well.

"Sounds good. I'll get dressed." I said with a slight smile.

She mirrored my smile, looking back at me for a brief second before carrying her things out of the tent, waiting for me to dress. I pulled on my clothes quickly, throwing on my jacket and gloves last. Rolling up my bedroll, I grinned to myself. Today I'd be walking with Riven most of the day. The path was straightforward, so we'd be able to talk, and somewhere near the end would be a waterfall. She had been flirting with me a bit, but I'm not quite sure exactly how far her feelings went. Slinging my pack over my shoulder, I walked out of the tent, starting to break that down to pack it as well. Riven noticed this and walked over to help me, wordlessly.

Despite having never worked with this tent, she finished folding up the other half of the tent a little earlier than I finished my half. Our hands touched just slightly as she handed part of the folded canvas to me, and we both held it there for a moment. I smiled a little to her, and she separated as I finished putting away the tent.

With that business taken care of, I pulled out the map of the area, walking close to her with the map open.

"It's pretty easy today. I think we're just walking due north. This area of the mountain pass is mostly flat. At the end, we have to climb this shelf here, and then we plateau out, and the waterfall will be next to us. Nothing we can't handle." I said, gesturing on the map. Riven looked it over and nodded.

"That'll be nice. We're almost out of water, too." She said, looking north, down the path.

I put away the map and we started to walk. The path was mostly sandstone and gravel, lined with a few pine trees here and there. It was quite tranquil.

"So this altar, what do you know about it?" Riven asked me with a curious glance.

"Almost nothing, really. Just a general location and some history of the place. I have an old text from a Noxian ruin south of here that mentions in only a few sentences 'an altar to that ancient War God in the northern mountains'. You'd probably know more of it than I would." I said.

"I think so. But I'll probably know more upon seeing the altar. I've seen other old altars. Privates new to the service would spend nights underground in some of the more complex altars, as a dare, sometimes. I've seen quite a few." She commented, a slight smile on her face.

I read into it, saying in a somewhat playful tone, "Something tells me you were one of those privates. Were you the one daring or the one taking the dare?"

Riven gave me a slight pout, "...Both. But at least I wasn't one of the privates that went down into the Noxian Goddess of Lust's altar as pairs... or more." She said.

I blushed at that, saying, "That doesn't sound like an ideal place for that kind of activity. Underground. Well... maybe if you're into that kind of thing." I joked. I realized that Riven and I were walking closer together now than when we had first set out, our hands inches from each other's.

As we walked, the side of our hands brushed together. My stomach leapt into my throat. I decided I might as well display my affection now. Slowly, I wove my fingers through hers, looking up at her. She only smiled back, and we both stared into the other's eyes for a moment. I could see myself and the gorgeous scenery behind us reflected in her brown eyes.

Riven spoke up after a little, asking, "How did you become an explorer, Ezreal?" She asked. Her tone changed when she said my name... it sounded warmer.

I smiled at her a bit, saying, "I never really liked school as a kid. I went and did well, I guess, but I longed to get out. The world was so full of mystery, and I wanted to explore the places no one knew about. I started with the tunnels under the city... I started to draw maps. Eventually, the government offered me a job in that capacity, and now I work with Heimerdinger, mainly."

"Oh, Heimerdinger? How is he?" Riven asked. We were starting to decline in elevation now. I saw the shelves ahead, where we would have to climb to get to where the waterfall was.

"He's like an adoptive father to me, in a way. Only very eccentric. And he has an obsession with his mustache." I said, laughing a bit. I remember

Riven laughed back. "I don't know him that well. He seems funny."

"He takes some getting used to, but after a while, we got along pretty well. So... what about your past?" I asked. It wasn't hard to tell that Riven's past was a dark one, even if I didn't know her all that well just now. I could feel it - in her calloused hands, in the way she had fought those men. The grace in her movements was her second nature now. Even the way she walked spoke of military precision - not that it wasn't alluring.

She looked down, her visage growing somber.

"Since I could first remember, I was drawn to war. Maybe not consciously." She paused. I glanced at her, and it seems as though she were figuring out a way to word things. Her tone shifted; "Some of my earliest memories were me, trying to pick up my family's sword. I guess that'd be a good way to summarize it. When I grew up, I would practice fighting as often as I could. I wasn't even sure why most of the time, it just felt like the art was one with my body. The military officers spoke of strength, of prowess, of precision, and dedication to Noxian nationalism. I devoured their message..."

She suddenly looked away and downward, questioning her past decisions, perhaps.

"Eventually, I became a soldier, and I excelled at it. The military forged me this sword, and I led a contingent of our soldiers to Ionia. We were ambushed... Our intelligence had been planted by the Ionians. As a backup plan, Singed and his machines rained death on the battlefield. There was no distinction there. I thought... at one point that loyalty to Noxus meant anything... But the Noxian command had approved, or even pushed for Singed to do this, slaughtering my troops and Ionians alike. At random." Riven said. I saw her eyes water.

"I realized that the ideals I had supported... where false. All I really had was myself to rely on. My own ideals. Not those of Noxus. So I joined the League, where I can seek redemption." She continued. I looked at her, wiping a tear from her cheek. She smiled a bit in reaction to that.

"...I'm sure you'll find it. Maybe even outside of the League. That is, if you truly need redemption at all..." I said, my voice soft. I put a hand on her shoulder, and we stopped walking for a moment. I wanted to kiss her so badly. Her face was close to me; her full lips barely a foot away. The taste of her lips and tongue tempted me... But at the same time, I didn't want to pressure her. She was emotional right now for another reason - it wouldn't be entirely sincere for me to kiss her now. Instead, I hugged her tight. She embraced me back, and I decided to kiss her cheek as we separated.

"...Thanks." She said as we separated again. I held her hand again, and I realized we had arrived at the cliff we needed to traverse. Glancing over my shoulder, I noted that it was later in the day.

"Anytime. Alright... the waterfall is up there, we just need to climb this." I said. "I'll start."

It wasn't too hard a climb, since the shelf tilted in the direction we wanted to go, generally. There were some good handholds. One place concerned me though, a cleft in the rock about six feet high, with no real way to gain leverage on the wall next to it.

Riven nodded, looking up. I made sure my pack was secure and started to climb. We progressed easily until a little more than halfway. I stood on a narrow shelf, and Riven had space to stand next to me after climbing up herself. To my left was the cleft in the rock. I glanced at it.

"Hmm..." I said aloud, glancing over at Riven. "Perhaps you could give me a boost? I can probably jump and grab it with one hand... I don't see enough purchase for both hands. After I get up there, it should be easier and I can help pull you up."

Riven nodded, a determined look on her face. "Let's do it." She said. I relaxed my breathing and jumped, getting a grip on the shelf where I could, my feet now hanging in the air. I felt Riven's hands on my thighs, and she pushed me upward slowly. Since she moved me upward, I was able to move my other hand around and lift myself onto the shelf. I stood up and turned around, lying down to help Riven. She jumped like I did, her one hand on the shelf, and I held her other hand, pulling her up. I was a bit surprised at her strength. Although I was in decent shape from all the exploring I did, and the League matches, Riven must have the body of a goddess. I could see the way her leg muscles tensed through her tight pants as I helped her climb onto the shelf. It was easier than I thought it would have been, with her helping. After we were both on the same level, getting to the plateau where the waterfall was, was easy.


	5. Chapter 5: Beneath the Falls

Chapter 5 - Beneath the Falls

"And there's the falls." I said, pointing. We continued on our path. Riven's hand brushed against mine, and she wove her fingers through mine. I glanced at her and smiled lightly.

"It's about time. I wonder what the water's like..." She said. The waterfall wasn't of impressive size, but the river at it's base was wider than at any other point, and likely deeper as well.

"Probably pretty damn cold." I told her. It was likely the river was mostly snowmelt.

"Maybe. I've bathed in colder on some campaigns. I'll still enjoy it." Riven said. I saw a clearing to the left of the waterfall, inside a semi circular rock shelf that extended off to one side of the waterfall.

I blushed immediately when she mentioned bathing. I merely nodded in agreement. "I'll probably go in too." I said.

"Uh, I mean, after you're finished, of course." I added quickly, mentally frowning at myself. Riven laughed slightly, but suddenly looked rather embarrassed herself.

"I... just realized that I don't have a towel... or anything I could use as a towel." Riven said with a blush.

I could feel myself blushing; my mind instantly considering the thought of Riven naked. Shifting my thoughts, I tried to think of a solution.

"The, uh, only thing I could think of would be if I were to wait inside the tent, while you bathed, and, maybe... You could just air dry? But then you'd have to get inside the tent to change. Or I could hand you your clothes and you could dress outside." I managed to say. I could feel myself becoming somewhat aroused, and my face certainly wasn't getting any less red.

Riven looked at me. "...That could work. That rock over there; I could probably lay on it. And then, you could do the same thing afterward?" She said, gesturing to a boulder toward the back of the clearing. We had reached it now, and I was setting down my pack, drawing out the tent so we could set it up. Riven helped, assembling the frame while we talked.

"Yeah, I could do that. And then we'll eat after." I noted. It was later in the afternoon, but we probably had more than enough time for all that. I made sure to rotate the tent away from waterfall. The simple canvas didn't have a window, but I just wanted to make it more comfortable for Riven, so I had the flaps of the door facing that direction.

It didn't take us long to set up.

"Uh, I'll just go inside now." I said to her. She nodded quietly as I stepped inside, listening to her undress outside. I could hear her footsteps down the narrow strip of beach until she reached the water. It wasn't all that far from where I was still; her sharp intake of breath told me it was probably colder than she expected.

I wasn't sure how long I could deal with this; Riven's presence was somewhat intoxicating to me, and I could tell she obviously liked me. But how deep were her feelings exactly? It had taken so much not to push her against the canyon wall and kiss her passionately. I shook it off. I needed to focus on something else. Pulling out my travel journal, I looked over the possible areas the altar could be. Riven had suggested that it might be lower, but there was one location neither of us had considered. Tracing my finger over to a ridge opposite the waterfall quite a ways. I hadn't looked into it previously; it was worth a look tomorrow.

I heard her splashing. I was glad now I had decided to make the tent face this way; there wasn't any way I could have prevented myself from looking otherwise.

Riven seemed to finish washing quickly enough - I could hear her now walking toward the rock, just to the left of the tent.

"How was the water?" I asked loudly.

"A little cold!" Riven responded as she moved over to the boulder, no doubt lying on it now. The thought of her there, lying down, naked... I shivered at the pleasurable thought.

Removing my gloves and jacket, I put them near the foot of my bedroll, waiting on Riven to finish drying.

After a few minutes, I hear the sound of Riven moving around outside the tent, dressing herself.

"Ez, I'm done now." She said. I stood up, opening the tent flaps. I smiled at her.

Riven's white hair was still damp, her face nearly glowing. I glanced down, She had dressed in a kind of low cut shirt, tied with a simple leather string at her cleavage, and a similar pair of tight pants to what she had worn earlier.

"Y-you look gorgeous..." I managed to say.

She looked down, then glanced at me, smiling. "Thanks." I held the door to the tent open for her. She passed me on the way inside the tent, her arm and breasts brushing against my chest. I paused briefly.

"I... I should go clean myself." I said, putting a hand on her shoulder and walking out. She nodded to me, blushing yet again.

Stripping down outside, I put my clothes down on the large rock. Stripping naked, I brought my underclothes out with me, washing them in the water along with my body. The cold waterfall felt good after the day of hiking along the trail. It was a bit cold, as Riven had said, but I got used to it quickly enough.

The water coursed through my hair, washing over my face. Scrubbing my face with my hands, I thought of Riven - her eyes, her taut body, the way she walked, her mannerisms. I wanted her. Cleaning the dirt from my arms and legs, I breathed deeply, trying to relax. Finishing up, I walked over to the rock, shaking myself off as best I could, stretching out on the rock face, my underclothes spread out next to me.

I looked toward the tent as I dripped dry, wondering what she was doing in there. I heard a light grinding noise. Stone against metal. Perhaps she was sharpening her weapon.

It didn't take me long to get dry. Afterward I dressed, 'knocking' on the door of the tent.

"Come in." Said Riven. I did so, seeing she was indeed sharpening her sword on a flat stone. I glanced at it.

"I found this along the trail... I wasn't able to bring a whetstone, but this works." She said, examining her sword, hefting it a bit. It was an impressive weapon, even fragmented as it was. Riven looked up, sheathing her sword.

"Time to make a fire?" She asked, smiling a bit. No doubt, she was hungry like I was. Like the night before, she constructed a fire ring and lined the bottom with smaller kindling. I was able to find a few trees a ways up the trail, having to cut them apart with my mystic bow. I took what dead branches I could, but I had to get some of the living stuff too. Walking back, I put it on the fire ring.

"Ez, do we have enough for both of us, for the rest of the trip?" She asked me, a little concerned.

"Oh, we do. Heimerdinger makes these things in his lab, he always puts more than enough for just me in there. Crazy yordle. I'm sure we'll be fine." I responded, smiling at her, retrieving water from the river, putting it into my pot to heat up the rations. Riven seemed to laugh a bit when I called Heimer a crazy yordle.

After I was done heating up the stew, I served it to her. Since I only had one bowl, I served her some in there, and then had my half in my cup. She ate quickly, afterwards dismissing herself to clean her mouth out in the river. I made sure to fill our canteens from the base of the falls. The water was clean, I had explored enough to know, cleaning my own mouth too. I washed my small pot also, cleaning it out and then using the water to douse the fire.

I retrieved my now dry underclothes from the rock face we had both laid on, bringing them back and putting them in my pack. Opening the door, Riven was just inside. We bumped into each other slightly. She smiled at me.

"Ezreal, come here..." She said, pulling me closer to her and closing the tent door behind me. Riven looked determined, her brown eyes glinting in the dying light of the setting sun. It was even darker inside the tent, the thick canvas not letting much through. Not that it mattered. We could communicate through touch; through hearing. She was strong, moving me easily; not that I resisted. I expected to feel myself blushing, but instead I merely felt desire. I just knew.

I pushed her toward my bedroll.

"I know, Riven. I wanted to show you how I felt earlier..." I said, putting my hands on her waist. I pulled off my gloves quickly, throwing them on top of my pack.

We both knelt on my bedroll. Moving one had from her waist to caress her face, I kissed her. She wanted it. I wanted it. We closed our eyes, losing ourself in the movement of our mouths. Her full lips simply felt divine. I separated after just a brief moment, planting a light kiss on her mouth to accentuate the end of our first real kiss. She smiled at me, and then I removed my jacket. She helped me, drawing it over my shoulders and tossing it lightly onto my pack.

"Riven... I want you." I told her breathily, hugging her close now, kissing her neck. She moaned in response.

"I want you too." She said, her voice quiet but impassioned. She pushed me onto my back, asserting her lust. I hugged her, and then slid my hands under her shirt, massaging her stomach and hips, moving my hands in a circular motion.

Being a little more aggressive, Riven pulled my shirt up over my head, tossing it on the same pile she had put my jacket on. I could make out the glint of her white smile in the half-light as she traced a hand up my stomach and chest muscles. I felt her put pressure on my belt buckle as I removed her shirt. To my surprise, she wasn't wearing a bra over her tanned chest. I could even tell she was blushing slightly.

Her breasts felt wonderful. Pretty firm, her skin smooth after she had washed... her hard nipples like pebbles against the velvet of her tan orbs. They were big; I had difficulty palming them with one hand each. Riven moaned, bringing me up for a kiss. Gods, Riven did want me. After only a few seconds, she slid her tongue into my mouth, and it danced with my own in ecstasy. Our moans harmonized, causing our mouths to vibrate in unison.

Riven straddled me, pushing her breasts toward my face and neck. I felt her removing my belt with one hand, as I moved to remove her pants. Moving upward, she let me remove her pants and boots, leaving her wearing only a simple pair of black panties.

Rubbing her hand against my member through my pants, I heard her say, "Ezreal, it feels like you're excited... It's alright. I am too..." She said seductively, pulling my hand to her love slit. I could feel her dripping, her panties wet with her arousal. "See?" She said.

For split second, I hesitated. "Riven, I want you. But we don't have to do this..." I said. I didn't want her to feel pressured into this simply because of the situation; us meeting, me giving her shelter.

"No, Ezreal. I want to. You're a good friend to me, showing me kindness even after I mistook you for my enemy and tied you up... And without you, I'd be so lost right now." She said, her tone serious now, shifting to soft toward the end. She kissed me again, this one full of emotion. Sincerity. Openness, affection. Maybe more? I kissed her back, drawing my hands lightly down her body, running my fingers over her taut curves.

"...I want you too, Riven. I feel like it's just easier for me to talk to you than anyone else, really. Even if I was nervous at first." I said as we both removed my pants and boxers. Slowly, she slid off her panties, making a bit of a display of it for me. My circumcised member was fully erect now, and Riven straddled me, grinding the wet lips of her sex against it. I was entranced, holding onto her hips. I traced a hand down her stomach, like she had done to me earlier, only I continued, circling the pink nub of her clitoris with my finger softly. It slid around easily, with how wet she was. She whimpered, a bit surprised. After a while, I drew back, because Riven clearly had something else in mind.

She pushed me inside of her firmly, moving at a slow pace at first. I pushed her back and forth on top of me, angling my hips, thrusting into her to find the place that caused her the most pleasure.

"Riven, you feel so good..." I managed to say, moaning. She was tight, her walls gripping me as we moved in unison. It seemed that Riven enjoyed being in charge of this, but I decided to try, to make sure. Playing it more assertively, I moved to turn us both over. She moaned, and I could tell she was smiling at me as I did, now on top of her, between her legs.

"Mmmm, Ezreal, I thought I would have to take charge." She said, wrapping her legs around me, causing her pussy to squeeze me differently, tighter. I put my arms under her back, kissing her neck aggressively. She arched her back in ecstasy as we fucked. It felt heavenly to be inside of her, and I think I had the best place to pleasure her, angling myself just so as I moved in and out of her.

"Riven, I shouldn't cum inside of you." I said to her between kisses to her neck. I slowed down slightly.

"You can if you want to. I take an herb... It won't do anything to me. I want you to release inside of me... with me." She said. In response, I continued to penetrate her. She moaned.

"My pleasure." I said, moaning as I felt her fingernails being drawn roughly over my back. I could care less if she drew blood.

The increasing loudness of her moans told me she was close. I could feel myself tensing, about to release as well. I slowed down a bit right before I came, but penetrated her deeply, firmly, releasing inside of her. She screamed in ecstasy, the walls of her sex quivering around me as I pulsated, releasing my cum inside of her in spurts.

We both panted, and then I pulled out of her. She smiled to me, our juices mixing together between our legs. I moved next to her, holding her in my arms.

"...I'm so glad I ran into you." I told her, kissing her nose. We wrapped our legs around each other, not wanting to be apart.

"...Me too, Ezreal." She kissed me back, and we drifted off into our dreams together, entangled in a lustful, passionate embrace.


	6. Chapter 6: The Stone Circle

Note: I'm used to writing chapters that involve combat in a third person perspective. Hopefully I didn't do too badly here. Let me know what you think. Please read and review. :)

Chapter 6 - The Stone Circle

I drifted awake slowly, my senses first becoming aware of Riven's smell next to me. With that, I remembered everything that we had done the night before. Deciding to surprise her, I separated from her slightly and kissed her neck lightly. She stirred, waking up. Although she was exposed from her waist up, she smiled at me and didn't seem to care.

"Hey, you." She said, smiling a bit. I wanted to kiss her, but since I had just awoken, my breath was less than pleasant... I just smiled at her instead.

"Good morning, Riven." I said. "It's just after dawn."

"We'd better head out soon, then." She said, standing up, picking up her clothes. I stood up as well. She noticed me watching, and my inevitable arousal, and smiled.

"Hmm... I might have to help you with that later. I dreamt pleasantly of you, Ezreal." She said, teasing me a little as she slid on her panties, putting on the shirt she had taken off last night. Despite the distraction, I was able to put my undergarments and pants on quickly. She moved against me, kissing me briefly.

"I wish I could dream... But it doesn't matter. It was amazing to sleep next to you." I told her quietly after returning her kiss. It was true; I hadn't been able to dream - or at least, remember my dreams - for a long while. But if there was a person who could change that, it would likely be Riven. She and I finished dressing, ate breakfast, and headed out along the trail. The terrain today wouldn't be that complicated, and...

"Do you think we can find the altar today?" Riven asked.

"Hopefully. There are a couple places. The one you suggested is closest, so we'll head there first." I said, handing her the map I had drawn out in my travel journal as we walked.

"And then we'll find out who is the better explorer." Riven told me with a teasing smile. I couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Riven, the superior explorer." I responded, parodying my own title and holding her hand. I glanced at her a bit, smiling.

She responded in kind, holding my hand as we walked.

"Well... I'm not sure how that would compare to 'The Exile'." She said, sounding a little melancholy.

I kind of regretted joking with her about that. I looked at her with a sincere look and opened my mouth.

"It's alright, Ezreal. I know you didn't mean anything by it." She said preemptively. The trail to the altar's likely location became steeper, and occasionally we even had to get on our hands and knees to crawl over the massive boulders. I took several opportunities to look at Riven's physique in her tight clothing as we both climbed over the rough terrain. A few times, I noticed her looking at me, as well.

She noticed this after a while, giving me sly looks whenever I took the opportunity. Eventually, we reached a plateau, sitting down and resting a while, taking a drink. The elevation was considerably higher than when I had first started on this trip, and I could feel the effect on my breathing. I wiped the sweat on my forehead up into my hair, causing it to spike up a little at a strange angle. I laughed a bit in spite of myself.

Riven, her taut body likewise a little sweaty, was able to spike up her hair as well, saying, "Hmm... I think mine looks better. You look better with your hair down. And if you keep checking me out, you might hurt yourself. Besides, you could just ask..." She said, sticking her tongue out at me playfully.

I blushed slightly, saying, "Sorry... I can't really help it. Your body is just that amazing... I'm defenseless.". And it was true. I suppose being brought up in a military society and fighting from a young age would do that to a person, though.

"I guess if we're ever in a League match against each other, I'll have to keep that in mind. All I'd have to do is flash you and my team would secure the victory." She said, pulling the V of her shirt down enough to show off her cleavage. I felt my cock twitch.

I smiled at this. "You're distracting me. We still have an expedition to finish. Besides, I can't compete with that." I took a sip of water, standing up. To illustrate my point, I flexed, showing off my decently-sized arms.

Riven made a fanning motion with her hand and pretended to swoon and faint daintily. I stepped over to her and extended a hand, helping her up. She got back up easily, and I kissed her.

"We're close. The place you suggested is just over that ridge. I'm not sure what we're looking for exactly. From what I've read, maybe... a hidden entrance, and there was something about a stone circle." I told her, holding her hand again as we started to walk.

"There were one of those in our village. I know what you're talking about. We played there as children, walking around on the different steps and singing a song about it." Riven said. The trail started to gradually slope downward now, and trees once again flanked us. It meandered with the curves of the mountainside, so I couldn't see the end.

"If we find the same kind of structure, this might be a lot easier than I thought. All thanks to you." I told her with a slight smile. She responded likewise.

The trail we were walking on was already rough, but at some point it just seemed to dissipate into endless mountain forests. I figured that the most likely place for the altar would be closer to the mountain, so I turned us right, following a barely existent path, not much more than an animal trail. I had to use a few mystic shots to clear the way.

"Ez, look!" Riven said suddenly. A cliff face to our right, with some moss clinging to it, bore Noxian carvings of some kind. I brushed some of the moss off, trying to make it out.

"Hmmm... Something about a path... I see the symbol for war here." I said. The rest was pretty worn.

"You now travel on the War God's path. Tread carefully." Riven read from the stone. I looked at her with mild surprise. She just smiled sheepishly.

"...You're amazing, Riven." I told her. "I guess we're close to the altar." Glancing around, I found a worn ramp. At some point, it might have had individual steps, but those had long been weathered away. Leading us down carefully, I paused when it came into view.

The altar looked quite tranquil, circled by foliage, a few streams dripping down the face of the mountain. The clearing was set in a bowl - shape in the terrain, the mountain towering up over one side. I pointed.

"Maybe that's your stone circle." I said. We both descended the steps slowly.

"...No one's been here for a long time." Riven said, taking a deep breath. I paused to reflect as well, drinking in the surroundings. The worn path we walked on was carpeted in moss and grass. A strange tranquility drifted down onto us, like a mist. We took our time to reach the base of the clearing, walking from the stair - like path onto the flat surface. We noticed that the circle was filled with statues - visages of ancient Noxian warriors. She glanced at them, taking in their frozen violence.

I walked with her among them, looking around. It was simple. A circular stone platform with symbols written along the outer edge, and then five statues of the warriors - but nothing like an entrance. The center of the platform was empty.

"This must date nearly back to the second Rune War." I said. Riven nodded. She was focused on something else. Something written at the base of the tallest statue, it seemed.

"This is pretty worn, but it tells about a trial by combat to... hmmm... something about a hidden passage. And then a prayer to the God of War." She said. "It's kind of like what we did as kids on the altar in our town. Here, join me, Ezreal." She said, holding out her hands and walking to the center of the platform.

I guessed at what she was going to do. "Are we going to pray?"

She nodded.

I nodded back, saying, "It's a good start." I held her hands, and we both inclined our heads.

I heard her reciting some Noxian chant. She stumbled over some of the words, but eventually she was able to finish. I recognized a few words, but the overall meaning was lost to me. I looked into her eyes while she finished, and we both paused, waiting.

"Hmmm, maybe I got it wrong." She said, looking down, trying to remember the words.

"I wish I could help. It sounded solid to me..." I replied, looking around the clearing. I looked at my glove briefly, sensing something wasn't right. Glancing at Riven, I started to talk.

"Riven-"

"We aren't alone." She said with a tense whisper, putting a hand on her sword, raising it into a defensive position slowly, hiding behind a statue. I followed suite, watching the path down into the clearing. I could see a few soldiers descending. Noxians. I hate those guys.

I focused myself, feeling the magic flowing through my veins, connecting with the amulet in my glove. Riven looked at me with a nod, looking more like the warrior I first saw on that cliff face.

I stepped off of the stone circle, crouching in the trees behind it. Riven stepped down slowly as well. I removed my pack, not wanting it to weigh me down in combat. They had finished their descent now, and were on the other side of the platform. I crouched, focusing energy into my glove. Leaping over the platform, I let fly a trueshot barrage, hitting the soldiers directly. A few had their shields raised and were blown backwards, dropping their weapons. The one in the front died, the energy tearing through him violently. He crumpled to the ground, his helmet and weapon falling from his charred form chaotically.

Riven jumped ahead of me now, a resolve in her eyes. The runes on her sword were glowing now. Her sword appeared to be complete now, the broad blade moving with grave as she dashed in to the soldiers, stunning them with an up front blow, then dashing to the side, shielding herself from a counter attack. I arcane shifted closer, firing an energy bolt at the nearest soldier, causing him to reel in pain. Not letting up, I fired an essence flux through Riven as well as the soldier to her left. Riven didn't seem to notice it, but her attacks seemed to speed up slightly. I heard a cry from the soldier, his arm severed from his body by the bright wave of energy.

The first few soldiers seemed to be down for the count, but four more remained. One jumped toward me, moving in for an underhanded swipe of his sword. I jumped backwards, back on to the platform, firing another essence flux, this time at his legs, causing him to fall over in pain. Seeing Riven struggling against three soldiers, I arcane shifted closer to her, using my mystic bow to fire a mystic shot at one attempting to flank her, bringing him down.

Suddenly, pain. I felt an intense pain in my side. The guard I thought I had finished off earlier had lunged at me, landing a wayward swipe on my side. Riven saw this and yelled aggressively, crushing the man with a broad swipe of her sword.

There was one guard remaining now. He dropped his sword and turned to flee. I looked at Riven with pain in my eyes. I knew we couldn't let him escape. Gathering my strength, I arcane shifted after him, firing another essence flux at his back. The armor he wore did nothing to protect against my magic, and he crumpled to the ground. I felt slightly dizzy after the exertion of energy. The world appeared to tilt at crazy angles.

"Ezreal, are you alright?!" I heard Riven ask. I sat down on the ground, wiping sweat from my forehead with my non gloved hand. The air around me was thick and muggy now, not like it had been earlier.

"I... How does it look?" I asked her, looking at my ribcage under my right arm. I started to take my shirt off, but the pain was too much. Riven helped me, lifting it off quickly. I could see the red on the side - I was bleeding a lot.

Riven looked nervous, even scared, as she got closer to me, examining the gash in my side closely. I watched her visage change from scared to somewhat relieved.

"It's... not as bad as it looks. There's a lot of missing skin, but thankfully your ribcage is fine. I'll clean it in the stream over there. You have bandages, right?" Riven asked me.

I tried to regain focus, holding my head in my hands before saying, "Yeah, in my pack."

Attempting to stand, I was glad that it was easier to breathe again. The cool air flowed over my now bare chest. Looking at Riven gave me some comfort, putting my gloved hand on her shoulder. We both walked over to the stream after she retrieved my pack.

"You know, Riven. The way you fight is beautiful." I said. She smiled, despite the situation.

"Thanks, Ez. The way you fight is... really flashy. I can see why some of my teammates in other league matches hated fighting you." She responded, looking at the stream.

We both looked at the water, frowning. Clearly, compared to the waterfall we had been at the other night, this wasn't clean.

"I think we'll be fine if we just clean the blood off and put bandages on. I've had worse." I said, removing the medical supplies from my pack and handing a few rages and a bandage to Riven, who started to clean me up. Her hands moved quickly and efficiently. Surely she'd had to do similar work in her military days.

I stayed still for her, only lowering my right arm after she finished. It stung, but I'd be fine now.

"Thanks, Riv." I said, looking for a new shirt in my pack. I put the medical supplies back in their own container. Shouldering the pack again, we walked up to the platform again.

Apparently during the fight, we had both failed to notice the stairs that had formed, a hidden passage that sunk into the platform, leading down to the altar. We both looked a little confused, making our way downward carefully. The archway at the base of the stairs had a few new Noxian runes, these less touched by the weather.

"Hmmm... By Noxian blood... travel... descend?" I guessed, looking at Riven. She shook her head, causing her white hair to bounce a bit.

"Close. I think it says 'By Noxian blood, a passage is birthed.' Do we know what's down there?" She asked, keeping her sword in hand. Her tone grew serious again.

"No... It could be dangerous." I said, attempting to light the way a bit with my amulet. I looked into the darkness and stepped forward, descending the steps.


End file.
